Here we go!

I have decided to start a blog in order to track this journey of getting braces. I hope that it will turn out to be a great place for me to share my experience, a learning location for others and possibly a place for me to vent about my frustrations during the process! haha
I am a 25 year old male from Albany, NY. I have always been minor self conscious about my teeth/smile in the sense of their alignment. I actually have pretty nice teeth as far as size, whiteness and such but because of a narrow pallet, I have a fairly crowded top and bottom set. Upon graduating in 2008 and starting my new career and being given dental insurance for the first time, I started thinking about braces.
In early September 2010 I visited a local Orthodontist and began discussing my options. He quickly advised me that for the best results I should consider surgery called Surgically Assisted Rapid Palletal Expansion (SARPE). As a child our top jaw is in two pieces and as time goes by it fuses together. Since I am now 25 years old, those pieces are fused solid together which is the reason for the surgery. This surgery will cut my top pallet in half right down the center. From what I have read about the surgery, it is generally a very painless surgery…. the only downfall…. a HUGE gap between your front two teeth (this goes away after a little time, obviously)
I left the office that day with the desire to look into the surgery and truely consider it. After some research, I came to find that my insurance didn’t cover any of the oral surgeons in my area… or so I thought… more about that later. Because of this I gave up hope of the surgery and was just set on getting braces. I took some time off before I called the ortho back due to work related reasons.
Flash forward to late October when I call the ortho back and schedule an appointment to have molds taken of my teeth for the braces (I am getting Incognito braces -on the inside- and they need perfect molds of your teeth). Upon arriving for my appointment, the Ortho approaches me once again and stresses that the surgery is the best option for me and stressed I should continue to look into it. What.A.Roller.Coaster!!! They take the molds of my teeth anyways, just incase I completely decided against the surgery.
Upon leaving, I do some extra research and dig a bit deeper (should have done that first!! Measure twice and cut once, right?) and find out that an oral surgeon which IS covered by my insurance (and did I mention RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO MY ORTHO!!!!!! haha) so I called and setup an appointment.
Currently… that is where I am at.. My appointment for the surgeon is December 2nd and hopefully the consultation goes well and I can get the ball rolling… and rolling and rolling… I will continue to update from time to time when I get extra info… talk to ya soon!